Newcastle United's first experience of Sky’s Monday Night Football was a memorable one – in fact it turned out to be one of the Magpies’ greatest top-flight games

United goalscorers Malcolm Allen and Andy Cole celebrating with Steve Watson and Liam O’Brien, right

Newcastle United's first experience of Sky’s Monday Night Football was a memorable one – in fact it turned out to be one of the Magpies’ greatest top-flight games.

The Premier League on Tyneside was still fresh and new and the night Sheffield Wednesday came to Toon had St James’ Park rocking.

With floodlights lit, a Sheff Wed side sparkling with stars like Chris Waddle, John Sheridan, Mark Bright, Des Walker and England goalie Chris Woods sprinted out feeling confident they could see off newly-promoted Newcastle after all they had ended the previous season reaching both domestic cup finals losing only to an impressive Arsenal side.

However, Kevin Keegan had demanded his team approach their early days in the Premier League with no fear.

He had banned the word “consolidation” from the dressing room after leading the Magpies to promotion.

However, drama was to follow against the Owls.

That was BEFORE the kick-off as Sheff Wed turned up with only their white away kit, meaning Keegan’s black and whites played in blue in their own stadium.

That, though, was soon forgotten about in front of the 33,890 crowd when Andy Cole fired the Magpies ahead on 21 minutes.

Woods had fumbled a shot from Malcolm Allen at the Gallowgate End before the No 9 followed up to stroke it home.

In typical manner from the Entertainers they poured forward looking for a second, leaving gaps open at the back and Geordie Andy Sinton steered home five minutes later.

Sheff Wed started the second half the way they had finished the first.

They say fans do not boo bad players.

On this occasion, though, they booed Waddle from pillar to post.

He laughed it off and clipped in a fine cross for Sinton to score a second goal to make it 2-1 two minutes into the second half.

Keegan then played what proved to be a trump card when subbing Nicky Papavasiliou for Alex Mathie with the Scot turning the game on his debut.

Michael Cooper /Allsport

Alex Mathie

With 14 minutes left, Mathie crossed from right for Rob Lee to knock the ball into Cole’s path and the marksman turned to fire into the net past Woods to tie the game up at 2-2.

What happened next was a moment Mathie and fans of this era will never forget.

Keegan urged his team to keep going forward.

Four minutes Allen clipped a ball in from the right and Mathie – a pre-season signing from Morton – lifted the ball over Woods on the volley for a dream debut goal!

In the dying stages Lee’s ball from the right found Allen’s head and it was 4-2, a great night had been enjoyed by all and this Premier League business was beginning to get serious.

Looking back on his goal and the win, Mathie told me: “Most Newcastle fans I meet still talk about that goal against Sheffield Wednesday.

“We were struggling at the start of the season and that goal changed the game.

“I remember the headlines had Kevin Keegan saying it was world class, which was nice of him to say.”

For Cole it was two strikes from his famous total of 41 goals that season.

He said: “I will be honest, when I played at Newcastle I did not know a lot about the No 9 shirt when I first arrived.

“I played No 8 to start with and Kevin Keegan handed me No 9.

“You do not really appreciate just how important it is at Newcastle. It takes a certain player to wear it.

“It takes a player who will score goals because it comes with a heavy burden.”

Newcastle ended the 93/94 season in third spot as Mathie and Cole helped them qualify for the UEFA Cup.

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